You're The Music That's Been Playing In My Head: Book 2

Anansi: Part 1

Luka and I follow along to the dance moves shown on the screen as the music plays. Currently, we were at Alya's place with Nino, and Marinette. Plus a video call with Adrien. We had all agreed to see the World Cup's fireworks together tonight at the Place de la Concorde Ferris Wheel when it got darker. So having nothing better to do we were playing Let's Dance to pass the time. The song finishes with Luka dipping me and I laugh before he leans down and steals a kiss from me which I happily return before we look at our score. "Ha! Beat that you two!"

I tell Alya and Nino who get up from the couch to play. "Gladly," The song starts and we watch them dance as well. "They're so in sync with each other," Mari comments and Adrien agrees. "You're right. Makes me hope one day I'll find someone I can share everything with like they do," I arch an eyebrow as I turn to look at Mari's screen and ask him "What about Kagami?" "What do you mean?" "You've been hanging out with her a lot after she joined the fencing team. So much that a lot of us think you two are dating. Is that not the case?" My gaze shifted to Marinette for a moment who was waving her arms around to get my attention before signaling for me to stop. I of course don't listen and wait for Adrien's response.  His cheeks go pink and he shakes his head as he answers my question.

"N-No. We're not dating we just see each other a lot. Besides, I doubt it would work with how much Father keeps me inside the house. But until my Father starts letting me go out more often anything like that probably won't be happening," He finishes with a sigh and I nod before giving him a wink. "Well if you do like her and wanna start dating her don't let your dad get in the way of having a love life," Having heard enough, Mari grabs her phone to ask Adrien, "Are you sure your dad won't let you come? It's such a bummer." 

"You know how overprotective he is. One day he'll realize I'm not a child anymore but we're not quite there yet," I look at Luka who nods in agreement before muttering under his breath, "I can sort of relate," Before I can ask him about it our attention turns to Alya and Nino who were at the big finish with Alya posing and Nino ending on a ballerina spinning pose. We all burst out laughing when the door opens and in comes, Alya's big sister as she snorts out "Aw shoot did I miss the ballet?" "Nora! Is your match over already?" Nora was a pro wrestler and she had left about an hour ago for a match she was still even wearing her boxing gear, which displayed an image of a spider. "First round, total knock out as usual," She then pulls her sister aside to correct her. When other people were around Nora didn't want to be called her birth name but her boxing name: Anansi.

"The name is Anansi like the spider." "Sure I'll call you Anansi when you stop calling me little sis." "Not happening. Anyway, what are you still doing here? It's starting to get late, don't you have school tomorrow?" Nora asks, taking off her headgear and getting a drink from the fridge. "We're waiting for it to get dark. Tonight's the World Cup firework show remember? We're gonna watch from the Place de la Concorde Ferris Wheel," Alya explains excitedly before Nora spits out her drink and protests. "Oh no! Baguette, music note, rock boy, cappie, and cellphone boy can go if they want but you're staying here. It's way too dangerous." "A family-friendly Ferris wheel to watch fireworks nowhere near us is dangerous?"

I ask, crossing my arms, Nora only buckling down about it. "Hawkmoth has been around for a year now and the amount of akumatized people has only gone up." "But Nora-Anansi you can't do that." "Yeah, we're not going without Alya!" Mari and Nino join in before Alya speaks up. "Listen I appreciate you worrying about me and all but I'm not a little girl anymore. Besides Mom and Dad are ok with this." "Tsk, tsk, tsk. Like I said there have been one too many akumatized peeps over this past year, how many times have you been in direct danger?" Nora asks, referring to the times Alya had been targeted by an akuma victim. "So you're staying home, safe and sound period." "That's so ridiculous! The twins were akumatized right here at home! Plus not only have I already been akumatized but so has Dad and we haven't been targeted by Hawkmoth since!"

"Well, none of that would've happened if I was there. I won't let anybody mess with my family." "You mean like the other day at the square?" Alya drolls out, confusing Adrien and Luka who turn to either me or Mari and ask "What happened?" We explain that we came across a man in a banana costume handing out flyers and how Nora thought he was akumatized and wanted to turn everyone into a banana zombie. "How was I supposed to know it was some stupid costume?"

From the fact nobody was panicking around him or that he was dressed as Banana Man the latest new character on Kidz+ tv. "Besides, what would happen if the Ferris wheel stopped working because some akumatized dude refused to pay his fair? Once you flyweights can actually defend yourselves like me we'll talk about it," She proceeds to kick and punch the air while I suck air through my teeth deciding not to tell her that akumatized victims were given superhuman strength, dexterity, powers, and so on so fighting them head on without a miraculous was not such a good idea.

"It doesn't matter because Ladybug, Chat Noir, and (s/n) would save us if there were any problems." "Uh-huh and what if Mr. Whiskers is busy catching a mouse or that beetle has been sprayed with bug spray, or that bear decides she's tired so she goes into hibernation? What are you gonna do then?" "I'll protect Alya if I have to!" Nino suddenly interjects and Nora snorts. "Yeah? How exactly are you planning to defeat the villain? A dance-off?" She mimics the end pose of the dance Nino had done before continuing to laugh, a disheartened look appearing on Nino's face. "I'd...Do anything to protect Alya," He mutters, pouting a bit, making me smile at how sweet that sentiment was. "Ok. Alya can go out with you guys if you beat me in an arm wrestle," Nora sits down at the table and presents her arm for the challenge. "Please don't arm wrestle on my account. I don't need to be protected!" Alya says, knowing full well that this wasn't a fair fight. "Nino I hate to say it but you don't stand a chance against Anansi, she's way too strong," Adrien states, earning a glare.

"Really dude?" "I'm sorry Nino, I'm just looking at it realistically. We'll figure something out." "It better be soon or we'll miss the fireworks," Mari informs us and Alya lets out a defeated sigh. "Just forget it and go without me," Of course, we all protest to this nonsense when suddenly Luka places his hand over Nino's shoulder and says "I believe in you. Arm-wrestle her if you want. You gotta try, right?" We all look at Luka in shock when Marinette agrees with him.

"Yeah, Nino will take you on and he'll prove his worth to us that he can defend Alya because uh...Love and friendship make your muscles bulge!" "Marinette what are you doing?" Alya whispers and she gives her a wink, whispering back, "Just trust me on this." This seems to do the trick to get Nino on board and the match begins where unsurprisingly, Nino struggles to even move Nora's hand an inch.

"Really? Is this all you got?" Nora asks, disappointedly and Alya mumbles something about her sister going to rip his arm off. "Over there an akuma!" Marinette suddenly shouts, distracting us all when we hear a thump and turn to see that Nino had won. Wha? How? "Oops, my bad. It was just a fly. You rock Nino. Come on if we leave now we'll get there just in time," Nora slams her fist into the table shouting "You're a bunch of cheaters! There's no way I could've been beaten by that flyweight! If I hadn't been distracted I-" "That's enough Nora! You lost the challenge! So deal with it. I've had it with your overprotectiveness. I'm going out with my BFFs regardless of what you say. Alya out," Alya starts to leave gesturing for us to follow her and we leave before Nora can pick another fight. (All of this could've been solved with a simple phone call to the parents. Just saying.)